Great book
Good to see Tom Thorne back
A great read
Plenty of twists and turns
Thanks Netgalley

After quick-stepping aside in recent years to a couple of dazzling, more comical crime tales starring unconventional, ballroom dancing loving Blackpool detective Declan Miller, bestselling British crime writer Mark Billingham returns has returned his roots.

In What the Night Brings, readers are once again immersed in the troubling world of DI Tom Thorne, and a supporting cast we’ve come to know and love over 19 novels since 2001’s Sleepyhead (to my mind, one of the best crime fiction series debuts of the past quarter century). Thorne is initially miffed when four police officers who helped arrest murder suspect Nick Cresswell thanks to his work don’t share the box of doughnuts; until three of them die and the other ends up in hospital. Poisoned.

Then another policeman is murdered in a park. Someone is targeting the Met Police, as accusations of rape and official misconduct swirl. Working with DI Nicola Tanner, pathologist and best friend Phil Hendricks, and longtime colleagues DI Dave Holland – recently returned to the Met – and DCI Brigstocke, Thorne must unravel a tricky case entwined with the dark web and awful crimes committed by some of the Met’s own.

A terrific read. Billingham continues to evolve his bestselling series in an admirable way. No resting on laurels. He’s unafraid to address the real-life clamour about Met misconduct, or changing global views on policing. And he’s likewise courageous in the closing chapters of What the Night Brings, which may divide long-time readers. Strap in.

[This review was first written for publication in GOOD READING magazine in Australia]

I haven’t read any books by Mark Billingham but wish I had. It took a while to get into but once I became familiar with the characters I really enjoyed this. There is a good smattering of black humour to lift what is a dark subject. Tom Thorne is quite a maverick but even this case is a struggle for him. Shocking but brilliant writing.

This is the nineteenth book in the Tom Thorne series, including the prequel Cry Baby, and apart from that one, I’ve been away from the series for a while. Never entirely sure why, I’m pretty sure I’ve got the missing books upstairs somewhere. Anyway, this is one of those books that makes you feel like an idiot for staying away so long.

I’m going to stay away from any plot spoilers at all – the Amazon blurb promises “The Most Shocking, Gripping Tom Thorne Thriller Yet!” – and while, iirc, they’re all pretty shocking and gripping, I can’t feel I can argue with that. Billingham himself in the afterword asks reviewers not to spoil events – as if I would – but there are some major upheavals here. I joked a while ago on ex-Twitter that it would be nice if Thorne had an uneventful book where he got a puppy or something – this almost seems to be the antithesis of this.

However, I should be clear, this is not a miserable tale lumping endless piles of poop onto our hero. It’s an outstanding thriller, constantly moving forward (and upping the stakes) every time things seem a little stale. There are even some… hints (clues is definitely overstating it) as to… whatever is going on.

The overriding thought I have is that, being away from the series for a while, I’ve lost my connection a bit to the characters and in a single book, Billingham built that connection up so that the effect of certain developments was like a punch in the guts. Fans of the series who have been counting the days until they can read this, well, brace yourself.

And then start waiting for the next one. There’s space in the queue behind me…

As an avid Mark Billingham reader I was beyond delighted to be able to read his latest Tom Thorne book and I wasn't disappointed.
The author reminds us at the end of the book that it's been a c25 year journey so far, which, like him I find to be almost unbelievable. What is even more so is that this book reads as fresh and enthralling as 'SleepyHead'.

We begin with the death of some police officers in what starts as a seemingly random act, but, what turns out to be so much more. This is a gripping (if unsettling) plot, with excellent characters; many of whom feel like old friends and I pretty much read in one sitting. Despite the dark content, the author manages to inject humour throughout and so it doesn't feel like a 'heavy' read, rather an enthralling and thrilling one.

For those of you new to the series, I'd strongly advise reading the others as they are sooo good. However, this absolutely stands alone as a strong thriller with some shocking elements.

For me a solid and well deserved 5* rating. Loved it!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Little Brown Group for the opportunity to preview this cracking read and congratulations to the author on another resounding success.

Welcome back Tom Thorne. It's been a while since I've read a Thorne book, but it was easy to orient myself in Thorns life. This one is a stonker of a book with lots going on and it really delves into the recent (ongoing) met investigations into police abuse of power and corruption and it doesn't pull the punches.
A Page turner with some very emotional scenes, plenty of twists and all I can say is thank god for Hendricks for bringing some much needed crassness and jokes to the proceedings.
The burning anger of Thorne and his sidekicks is palpable throughout as they realise that the enemy isn't just on the outside.
I think this was well written and all too believable.
Thoroughly enjoyable

What the Night Brings is the nineteenth book in the excellent Tom Thorne series by Mark Billingham.

This is a taut and emotionally charged novel that I read from cover to cover in one sitting. Can be read as a standalone but why restrict your enjoyment when there are nineteen to available.

A dark opening to the novel with the targeted execution of four police officers. It’s a brutal and calculated act that sends shockwaves through the force, breeding fear, rage, and a thirst for retribution. DI Tom Thorne and DI Nicola Tanner begin to investigate this personal case and discover a very deep dark world. The killings may not be just a random attack on the police, but they may be payback for a betrayal too terrible to name.

I really enjoy this series and especially like the lead character Tom Thorne who is flawed but also an excellent detective. Thorne is a dedicated detective who gets results as well as been a great read. This series has remained fresh even after nineteen novels.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Little Brown Book Club UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

It’s always a treat to get my hands on a Tom Thorne novel and this was no disappointment. Four police officers are poisoned the Thorne and colleagues are determined to find out who has done it and why.
A compulsive read.

Met Detective Tom Thorne is back for his most shocking case yet, delving into police corruption. After the shocking death by donut of four fellow officers, it soon becomes clear this vendetta against the police has only just gotten started. A twisty jaw-dropping read.

Another fantastic Tom Thorne novel. I've read all of these books and Thorne,Hendricks etc seem like old friends so the events of this book were shocking 3 times over.
Best book I've read this year.

I am a massive fan of Mark Billingham and I absolutely love his character - Tom Thorne - neither have ever disappointed me and, after reading this, they still haven’t.

I won’t go into any details about the story-line as the description above says it all but I will say that it is captivating, thrilling, absorbing, exciting, shocking and all the other superlatives that you normally use to describe a brilliant read.

The story moves at a great pace with an easy to read style of writing which makes this book difficult to put down. There are twists and turns aplenty and just when you go “aha, I know who did it”, Mr Billingham goes and throws a spanner in the works again.

This may be the 19th instalment in the Tom Thorne series and you might think that Mr Billingham couldn't think of new and innovative scrapes, crisis, crimes and miscreants for Tom Thorne to get involved with and in but he seems to be able to manage it with ease and still he makes it feel fresh and new. You can get away with reading this as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading the others as Thorne and his team will quickly become old friends who you love to get reacquainted with with each new book.

Would I recommend this? Heck yes - go and buy it now 🙂

Many thanks to the author, Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this another excellent addition to a brilliant series.

When a routine arrest leads to the death of a number of police officers it makes their colleagues want to help. However, as Thorne and his team investigate, they realise that the motive is around embedded police malpractice. Soon there is a serial killer to be found, but as Thorne digs deeper he finds his own perspectives and loyalties tested.
It's really hard to write a summary of this book without giving away spoilers and that would not be fair. Suffice to say that Billingham is a master of crime fiction and this is just another excellent book. READ IT

The sign of a good series is that you are not aware of just how many books there have been in it before reading the latest one, and this is certainly the case for the Tom Thorne novels...19 !!! Yes he is older but still just as irascible as he was in book one. Tom is such a great character and definitely someone you would want on your side - he makes a great friend but also an even greater enemy should you choose to go against him. This story highlights this about him and is a fast paced, page turning, roller coaster of a ride story. Plus a great cliff hanger ending.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review

The deaths of four officers sends shockwaves through the police force not least Tom Thorne who realises how close he came to being one of the victims. Alongside Nicola Tanner, Thorne looks for a motive behind the seemingly random killings and uncovers more than he bargained for. With more deaths appearing inevitable, Tom has to question everything he stands for, especially when faced with a situation he never thought possible.

After the last Tom Thorne book, I feared it may be some time before we met the detective again so I was thrilled to see him back, and, indeed, he is back with a bang! From the very first page, Mark Billingham pulls you straight into the plot with a routine arrest that certainly takes an unexpected turn leaving the investigating team wondering if any of them are safe.

The plot is certainly hard-hitting, referencing recent high-profile cases in the Metropolitan Police regarding the officers who have abused their power to commit crimes against women. Billingham places you in a moral quandary, his writing definitely making you think about the perpetrator and their reasons for doing what they are doing.

The book is full of the author’s usual dark humour which is always appreciated when reading a plot dealing with such emotive issues. What I was not expecting was the ending! It is not often that I am left aghast at what I read but it was the case here. This is an ending that will remain with me for a while! One of the best in an outstanding series.

During the arrest of a criminal, Tom is a bit peeved to have missed out on the doughnuts that appeared after being left by an anonymous donor. The next day he feels sick to find out that the doughnuts contained poison and three of the four PCs that ate them have died and the other is hanging on by a thread. It's down to Tom and the team to find out who is behind this terrible killing.During the course of their investigation they find out various thing which point them in a the direction that they wish it didn't. As the bodies pile up they have to put their feelings aside and deal with the case.
A difficult ending to this book will pull on your heartstrings. Wonderfully written by Mr B as normal.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

Thorne is one of favourite characters so I was desperate to dive right into this one and it really didn’t disappoint.

This is the 19th in the Tom Thorne series and I would say it’s the best, gripping from start to finish with a great cast of characters.

Mark Billingham has a real skill for writing believable characters that you really care about.

In this book Thorne and his team are chasing a cop killer but they’re not sure they are on the right side anymore. Raced through to finish but then was upset I had no more to read. I really hope there is more to come in this series.

Cannot recommend this book (and the whole series) enough!

WHAT THE NIGHT BRINGS

Billingham is a genius writer, as he masterfully weaves between shocking crime scenes to emotional tear jerking ones.

The latest book in the detective Tom Thorne series is book #19 (and yes I’ve read the previous 18) so to say I was thrilled when my #NetGalley request for an eArc of this was accepted, well that would be a HUGE understatement.

I dove straight in; I mean it has being three years since the last Thorne outing, I couldn’t wait to be reacquainted with the detective as well as the rest of the team.

As expected Billingham again not only draws the reader in to this police procedural but has the capability of keeping you hooked and even questioning if there is the possibility of a 20th book;(Please say yes…but don’t leave it quite so long a wait)

But with this one being his best yet, can he better it ??

Thank you #NetGalley #LittleBrownBooks and of course the talented author #MarkBillingham for my eArc copy in exchange for my honest review.

#markBillinghan #TomThorneSeries #WhatTheNightBrings #book19

#author #MarkBillingham #policeprocedural #crimethriller #suspense #emotional #whimsical #serious #sensational #gripping #unputdownable #IsThisTheEnd

I have been a huge fan of Tom Thorne since Sleepyhead, and returning to him in What the Night Brings is an electrifying homecoming. Billingham has always struck a balance between gritty police procedural and intense character study: this latest novel delivers on both fronts. As you’d expect from Mark Billingham, the characterisation is razor-sharp. Thorne is as layered as ever — haunted, deeply moral and yet pragmatic. After 19 books, he’s still as compelling as any literary detective you’ll meet. I enjoyed Billingham revisiting Thorne’s dynamic with pathologist Phil Hendricks. Their friendship—based on mutual respect, occasional bickering, and a darkly comic sensibility adds warmth and light to an often dark and grim narrative. Pathologist Hendricks isn’t just key to the investigation team; he brings heart, insight, and sometimes uncomfortable truths to Thorne’s view of the world, reminding us why this pair have one of crime fiction’s most grounded friendships.

In terms of plot, this is Billingham on top form. Thorne Thorne, Tanner and Holland are a terrific team. They have to hit the ground running to find a serial cop killer. Billingham wastes no time plunging us into terrifying uncertainty — “Three dead coppers, Tom, maybe four by lunchtime.” From that chilling sentence, the chapters race by. There’s a steady escalation of tension, punctuated by quieter, character driven, moments. The unexpected twists and psychological layers make it much more than a straightforward police procedural.

Billingham makes us think about how justice, betrayal and vengeance intersect—not just in the minds of criminals, but within the police force itself. There’s moral ambiguity that lingers long after the final page, and the story never simplifies complex motives or human frailty.

In an era where public trust in policing is at an all-time low, and questions of accountability are top of the agenda, Billingham taps into these anxieties and questions He uses his narrative to explore uncomfortable questions: Do police officers also pay for systemic failures? How far does institutional loyalty go before it becomes blind allegiance? These themes resonate powerfully today, especially in relation to what’s gone on with the Met Police.

This is a book that grabbed me by the neck, made me care about the people on the page, and which won’t let go til’ the last sentence. What the Night Brings delivers everything I need from a crime thriller. From the electrifying opening to the emotional stakes and the moral quandaries, it’s vintage Thorne in stellar form and Billingham pushes him to his limits. For me, it’s the best one yet.

Verdict: Shocking, electrifying, emotional, Mark Billingham’s What the Night Brings spins Thorne’s finely honed instincts until his head (and mine) are spinning. This is a must read. A quarter of a century in the writing business and Mark Billingham is at the top of his game. Congratulations!

II used to be an avid reader of the Tom Thorne novels, but I admit that it’s been a while since I last picked one up.

However, I was super excited when I saw this new release on NetGalley to review, especially since the synopsis sounded so intriguing. And I can assure you, it does not disappoint!

As the story begins with four uniformed officers participating in a raid when they discover a thoughtful gesture: someone has left them doughnuts and a card thanking them for all they do. Yet, just a few hours later, three of the four officers are dead, and the fourth is left fighting for their life.

And it’s up to Thorne, Holland, and Hendricks to track down those responsible.

Yet, recent events have revealed a police force plagued by corrupt officers, including rapists and domestic abusers. And as a result, the public is hesitant to cooperate, and Thorne can't really blame them.

But as the body count rises, Thorne, Holland, and Hendricks find themselves embroiled in even more corruption. With each horrifying revelation, they are left questioning if there is anyone within the force they can truly trust.

And with intricate subplots, realistic and relatable characters, gallows humour, great pacing, and a jaw-dropping ending. This is the Tom Thorne I remember, and it’s the reason I love police procedurals so much.

I would happily recommend this book, even to first-time readers!

Tom Thorne is about to get the most difficult case in his career.
Police officers are being murdered, and it appears to be an avenging angel is the perpetrator. Is it a case of murder or justified retribution.
When Thorne and his partner Nicola Tanner start to dig deeper, they unearth secrets that will change the police forever, and the aftermath will be so devastating, that life will never be the same again for Tom Thorne.
Mark Billingham has always been a very fine writer and his books are always of the highest quality, but this latest book is on another level. I can’t think of anything he’s done better.
This really is a hard-hitting story that the reader will literally read with their mouth wide open in surprise. This is crime fiction on another level, and a book I very much recommend.